PDMS

AutoDRAFT
User Guide
For use with PDMS Version 11.3

NOTE:

This release of AutoDRAFT is

compatible with
AutoCAD Releases 13, 14 and 2000

pdms1131/man10/doc2
issue 201200
 PLEASE NOTE:

Cadcentre has a policy of continuing product development: therefore the information

contained in this document may be subject to change without notice.

CADCENTRE MAKES NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND WITH REGARD TO THIS

DOCUMENT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

While every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of this document, Cadcentre
shall not be liable for errors contained herein or direct, indirect, special, incidental or
consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance or use of this
material.

This manual may provide documentation relating to products to which you do not have access
or which are not licensed to you. For information on which products are licensed to you, please
refer to your licence conditions.

. Copyright 1992 through 2001 Cadcentre Limited

AutoCAD is a registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc.

DXF is a trademark of Autodesk, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without prior written permission of Cadcentre.

The software programs described in this document are confidential information and proprietary
products of Cadcentre Ltd or its licensors.

Note that the following notice applies to the AutoDRAFT menu files which are derived from an
original AutoCAD menu file:

Copyright . 1982-2000 Autodesk, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any purpose and without fee is
hereby granted, provided that the above copyright notice appears in all copies and that both
that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all supporting documentation. This
software is provided ’as is’ without express or implied warranty.

For details of Cadcentre’s worldwide sales and support offices, access our website at
http://www.cadcentre.com/location

Cadcentre Ltd, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, UK CB3 0HB

Contents

1 Introducing AutoDRAFT
1.1 What is AutoDRAFT? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
1.2 About this Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
1.3 Manual Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
1.4 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3

2 The AutoDRAFT Facilities

2.1 AutoDRAFT Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
2.2 The PDMS DRAFT/AutoDRAFT Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
2.3 The PDMS ISODRAFT/AutoDRAFT Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2

3 The Drawing Editor - Introduction

3.1 The Drawing Editor Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
3.2 The DRAFT/ISODRAFT to Drawing Editor Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
3.3 Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
3.3.1 Paper-Space/Model-Space-Viewports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
3.3.2 The Drawing Editor Database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
3.3.3 Drawing Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
3.3.4 Drawing Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3

4 The Drawing Editor - Getting Started

4.1 Starting the Drawing Editor Directly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
4.1.1 Creating the DXF-Format Transfer File from DRAFT . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
4.1.2 Creating the DXF-Format Transfer File from ISODRAFT . . . . . . . . 4-2
4.1.3 Transferring the DXF Plotfile to the Host AutoCAD Platform . . . . . 4-2
4.1.4 Starting the Drawing Editor on the Host AutoCAD Platform . . . . . 4-2
4.2 Starting the Drawing Editor from PDMS DRAFT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
4.3 Starting the Drawing Editor from PDMS ISODRAFT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4

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4.4 Notes on the Transfer File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4

4.4.1 Drawing Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
4.4.2 Limitations of DXF File Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
4.4.3 FECs Support in DXF Output (PDMS/J users only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4

5 The Drawing Editor - Autoblanking

5.1 Creating a Blanking Shape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
5.2 Blanking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
5.3 Editing Blanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6

6 The Drawing Editor - Miscellaneous Facilities

6.1 Layer Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
6.2 Controlling Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
6.3 Applying PDMS Colours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
6.4 Loading Text from a File onto a Drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
6.5 Copying and Resizing Part of a Drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
6.6 Creating a Paper Space Viewport on a Drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
6.7 Selecting a Paper Space Viewport on a Drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
6.8 Leaving AutoCAD, Without Saving Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
6.9 Leaving AutoCAD, Saving Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11

7 The Symbol Editor - Introduction

7.1 The Symbol Editor Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
7.2 AutoCAD Working Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
7.3 Symbol Library Annotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2

8 The Symbol Editor - Getting Started

8.1 Starting the Symbol Editor Directly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
8.1.1 Starting the Symbol Editor on the Host AutoCAD Platform . . . . . . 8-1
8.2 Starting the Symbol Editor from PDMS DRAFT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-2
8.3 Setting the Drawing Size in AutoCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-2

9 The Symbol Editor - Creating Symbol Templates

9.1 Creating the Symbol Name Attribute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-1
9.2 Creating a Block and an Insert of the Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
9.3 Redefining a Symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2

10 The Symbol Editor - Deriving DRAFT Command Files

10.1 Direct Entry to Symbol Editor (using adraftse command) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1

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10.2 Entry to Symbol Editor from DRAFT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2

10.3 Leaving AutoCAD, Without Saving Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
10.4 Leaving AutoCAD, Saving Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
10.5 Symbol Template Naming Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3

11 The Frame Editor - Introduction

11.1 The Frame Editor Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
11.2 AutoCAD Working Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1

12 The Frame Editor - Getting Started

12.1 Starting the Frame Editor Directly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
12.1.1 Starting the Frame Editor on the Host AutoCAD Platform . . . . . . 12-1
12.2 Starting the Frame Editor from PDMS DRAFT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
12.3 Setting the Drawing Size in AutoCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2

13 The Frame Editor - Deriving DRAFT Command Files

13.1 Direct Entry to Frame Editor (using adraftbe command) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1
13.2 Entry to Frame Editor from DRAFT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-2
13.3 Leaving AutoCAD, Without Saving Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-3
13.4 Leaving AutoCAD, Saving Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-3
13.5 Sheet Naming Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-3
13.5.1 Backing Sheet Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-3
13.5.2 Overlay Sheet Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-4

A AutoDRAFT Working Practices

A.1 Using DRAFT with AutoDRAFT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
A.1.1 Suggested Working Practice 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
A.1.2 Suggested Working Practice 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2
A.2 Using ISODRAFT with AutoDRAFT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3
A.2.1 Suggested Working Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3

B AutoCAD to DRAFT Entity and Attribute Mapping

B.1 AutoCAD Entities into DRAFT Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1
B.2 AutoCAD Attributes into DRAFT Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2
B.3 DRAFT Pens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-4
B.4 Line Widths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-4
B.5 Linestyles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-5
B.6 Text Fonts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-5
B.7 Support for AutoCAD Bigfont Text (PDMS/J users only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-8

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C The AutoDRAFT Menus

C.1 Drawing Editor Pull-Down Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1
C.1.1 Blank Pull-Down Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1
C.1.2 PDMS Draw Pull-Down Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2
C.2 Frame Editor Pull-Down Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3
C.2.1 PDMS Frame Pull-Down Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3
C.3 Symbol Editor Pull-Down Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3
C.3.1 PDMS Symbol Pull-Down Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3

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1 Introducing AutoDRAFT

1.1 What is AutoDRAFT?

AutoDRAFT is an AutoCAD application which gives you an easy way of using AutoCAD to
perform 2D drafting on engineering drawings imported from DRAFT, and on isometric
drawings imported from ISODRAFT. It can also create 2D entities for export to DRAFT.

As well as providing access to the full range of AutoCAD’s 2D draughting facilities,

AutoDRAFT allows you to transfer drawings from DRAFT and ISODRAFT to enhance
them. You can also use it to create symbols and drawing frames, and then generate macros
for their subsequent recreation in DRAFT.

You can activate AutoDRAFT directly from a DRAFT or ISODRAFT menu. Alternatively,
if AutoCAD and PDMS are running on different machines, you can generate a DXF format
file for transfer to AutoDRAFT and AutoCAD by DRAFT and ISODRAFT.

This release of AutoDRAFT has been developed to allow you to take full advantage of the
latest features of AutoCAD Releases 13/14/2000.

AutoDRAFT consists of three sub-systems:

- The Drawing Editor, which allows you to add further details to PDMS drawings from
within AutoCAD.

- The Symbol Editor, which generates PDMS macros from AutoCAD inserts to create
equivalent symbol template elements in DRAFT.

- The Frame Editor, which generates PDMS macros from drawing frames in AutoCAD
to create equivalent DRAFT backing or overlay sheet elements.

A range of new AutoCAD fonts, developed at Cadcentre, is also provided for your use. These
fonts are supplied in both binary and source formats. These fonts are compatible with all
new and existing PDMS draughting fonts, and can be transferred to PC-based systems.

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1.2 About this Manual

This manual describes:

- The AutoDRAFT facilities.

- How to use the DRAFT and ISODRAFT forms-and-menus user interface to activate
AutoDRAFT directly.

- Alternatively, how to create a DXF-format file of a DRAFT or ISODRAFT drawing for

separate transfer to the AutoDRAFT Drawing Editor.

- How to create a PDMS DRAFT command macro in AutoDRAFT in order to transfer

AutoCAD drawing entities (forming drawing frames and symbol templates) back to
DRAFT.

- How to use the AutoDRAFT facilities within AutoCAD, using typed-in commands or
menu selections.

This manual does not describe how to use the main AutoCAD facilities. Refer to your
AutoCAD user documentation for this.

1.3 Manual Audience

It is assumed that those users who are involved with creating drawings in PDMS DRAFT
and transferring them to AutoCAD have attended the appropriate DRAFT and/or
ISODRAFT training courses.

It is further assumed that users who are working on a drawing transferred from PDMS are
(at least) familiar with AutoCAD.

Best use of this manual will be made by those trained in the use both of PDMS
DRAFT/ISODRAFT and of AutoCAD.

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 Introducing AutoDRAFT

1.4 References

Useful sources of reference are:

The PDMS DRAFT User Guide.

The PDMS DRAFT on-line help.

AutoDesk’s AutoCAD Release 13/14/2000 Reference Manuals.

The PDMS ISODRAFT Reference Manual.

The PDMS ISODRAFT on-line help.

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2 The AutoDRAFT Facilities

2.1 AutoDRAFT Functions

AutoDRAFT has three sub-systems:

- The Drawing Editor. This enables a drawing created in DRAFT or ISODRAFT to be

transferred to AutoCAD, which can then be used to finish the drawing. The Drawing
Editor also adds new functions to those normally available in AutoCAD.

- The Symbol Editor. This enables symbols created in AutoCAD to be converted into a
PDMS DRAFT command macro which can then be used to create the equivalent
symbols as DRAFT database Symbol Template elements.

- The Frame Editor. This enables drawing frames created in AutoCAD to be converted
into a PDMS DRAFT command macro which can then be used to create the equivalent
frames as DRAFT database Backing Sheet elements.

Each of the above sub-systems is described in detail in the following chapters of this
manual..

2.2 The PDMS DRAFT/AutoDRAFT Interface

With the Drawing Editor, a DRAFT drawing Sheet is transferred from PDMS DRAFT to
AutoDRAFT via a DXF-format file.

With the Symbol Editor and Frame Editor, the DRAFT command macros are created as
ASCII files. If AutoCAD and PDMS are on the same hardware platform the macro files will
be transferred back to PDMS automatically. See Figure 2-1 for an illustration of the
DRAFT/AutoDRAFT interface.

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AutoDRAFT

'UDZLQJ (GLWRU

DXF-format
drawing file
Symbol-
creation
macro
file
(ASCII)
DRAFT Symbol Editor AutoCAD

Frame-creation
macro file (ASCII)
Frame Editor

Figure 2-1 The DRAFT/AutoDRAFT Interface.

2.3 The PDMS ISODRAFT/AutoDRAFT Interface

With the Drawing Editor, you can transfer an ISODRAFT isometric to AutoDRAFT via a
DXF format file.

You cannot transfer an ISODRAFT isometric with the Symbol or Frame Editor.

r 3'06 $XWR'5$)7

9HUVLRQ 

8VHU *XLGH
 The AutoDRAFT Facilities

AutoDRAFT
DXF-format
drawing file

ISODRAFT Drawing Editor AutoCAD

Figure 2-2 The ISODRAFT/AutoDRAFT Interface.

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3 The Drawing Editor - Introduction

3.1 The Drawing Editor Functions

All AutoCAD facilities are available to Drawing Editor users. AutoDRAFT adds the
following facilities to the standard AutoCAD system:

- Blank out part of the drawing behind specified drawing items. For example, blank out
the graphics behind a label.

- Create magnified copies of part of a drawing.

- Apply PDMS standard colours to the DRAFT ‘ elements’ within an AutoDRAFT

drawing.

- Layer control of layers allocated to DRAFT.

- Load text from a file onto the drawing.

- Create and select viewports containing views of the drawing sheet.

3.2 The DRAFT/ISODRAFT to Drawing Editor Interface

A DRAFT drawing Sheet, or an ISODRAFT isometric, is transferred to AutoDRAFT via a

DXF-format file. Where AutoDRAFT/AutoCAD and PDMS are running on separate
hardware you must create the DXF file and manually transfer it from the PDMS platform to
the AutoDRAFT platform. Where PDMS and AutoDRAFT share the same platform,
entering the Drawing Editor will cause the translation from PDMS format to DXF format,
and the transfer of the file to AutoDRAFT, to take place automatically.

The Drawing Editor drawing file is an AutoCAD drawing file with a set of AutoCAD layers
dedicated to drawing information transferred from DRAFT/ISODRAFT (its style table will
contain linestyle definitions generated by DRAFT/ISODRAFT).

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The Drawing Editor - Introduction

AutoCAD entities should be added to a drawing on layers other than those allocated to
PDMS. If the PDMS DRAFT part of the drawing is updated by overwriting it with a new
drawing file imported from DRAFT, none of the entities on the user-allocated (i.e.
AutoCAD) layers will be lost.

The Drawing Editor can be used to change DRAFT entities displayed in AutoCAD (the
Drawing Editor, of course, does not ‘ know’ about the DRAFT database hierarchy), but these
changes will be lost when the DRAFT part of the AutoCAD drawing is next updated from
the DRAFT picture.

AutoDRAFT can only be used to create new drawings, or open existing ones, with
ISODRAFT.

NOTE: PDMS or DRAFT Layers referred to in this manual should not be confused with
LAYE (layer) database elements in DRAFT. PDMS layers are AutoCAD layers
that have been allocated to drawing data generated by DRAFT. AutoCAD layers
are described in the AutoCAD Reference Manual.

See Figure 3-1 for an illustration of the use of AutoDRAFT layers.

AutoCAD Layers
User-allocated.
Contain AutoCAD
DRAFT entities.

DRAFT Layers
DXF Automatically
allocated.
Contain
DRAFT entities
drawn in
AutoCAD.

PDMS drawing AutoDRAFT drawing

Figure 3-1 Layers in AutoDRAFT/AutoCAD.

NOTE: It is possible, within the Drawing Editor, to map the DRAFT layers onto
user-defined AutoCAD layers. See Section 6.1.

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 The Drawing Editor - Introduction

3.3 Concepts

Before using the Drawing Editor, you should be familiar with the following concepts and
terminology.

3.3.1 Paper Space/Model Space Viewports

A drawing sheet transferred from DRAFT or ISODRAFT can be either drawn in model
space or in paper space in AutoCAD.

3.3.2 The Drawing Editor Database

A Drawing Editor database is an AutoCAD drawing file containing layers that are allocated
to DRAFT or ISODRAFT drawing elements. You add to this your own AutoCAD layers and
drawing entities.

AutoDRAFT uses special text fonts and linestyles in addition to the standard AutoCAD
supplied fonts and linestyles. The fonts and linestyles supplied with AutoDRAFT match
those used in DRAFT and ISODRAFT.

All DRAFT drawing elements are on layers named ‘ GT_’ followed by a number. You
should not create layers whose names beginning with ‘GT_’, otherwise any items
on those layers will be deleted by a DRAFT drawing update operation.

3.3.3 Drawing Scale

A drawing in AutoDRAFT is a model of a drawing sheet from DRAFT/ISODRAFT. All

entities are created in AutoCAD model space.

Hidden line views of a design model are drawn as scaled views in PDMS DRAFT. The
drawing displayed in AutoCAD is a model of the drawing sheet defined in DRAFT, so the
scaled views drawn in DRAFT are effectively drawn at the same scale in AutoCAD. Thus, if
an AutoCAD linear dimension were placed on a line in a DRAFT view it would show the
length of the line on the paper, not the length of the line on the PDMS model. It is
recommended that all dimensions are created in DRAFT where the true size of dimensioned
items is shown.

3.3.4 Drawing Units

DRAFT always stores its measurements in millimetres, regardless of the units used for
drawing definition. Consequently, drawings created in PDMS DRAFT using INCH or

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The Drawing Editor - Introduction

FINCH units are transferred from DRAFT to the Drawing Editor with measurements in
millimetres.

A special code in the transfer file will specify whether the original DRAFT drawing sheet
was specified in MM, INCH or FINCH units. INCH/FINCH drawings are scaled from one
drawing unit = 1 millimetre to one drawing unit = 1 inch when loaded into the Drawing
Editor.

A similar system is employed for ISODRAFT drawings.

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4 The Drawing Editor - Getting Started

There are two methods of starting the Drawing Editor:

- Directly. This method is used when AutoCAD and PDMS are on separate hardware
platforms. The (DXF-format) drawing file to be used must be created in PDMS
DRAFT/ISODRAFT and manually transferred to the AutoCAD platform.

- From PDMS DRAFT/ISODRAFT. This method is used when AutoCAD and PDMS are
on the same hardware platform. The (DXF-format) drawing file to be used is
automatically created and transferred to the Drawing Editor when
AutoDRAFT/Drawing Editor is activated from DRAFT/ISODRAFT.

4.1 Starting the Drawing Editor Directly

4.1.1 Creating the DXF-Format Transfer File from DRAFT

This can be done in two ways:

- by typing in a command (PLOT)

- by using the DRAFT forms-and-menus user interface

Using the PLOT Command

The PLOT command has a variety of options. A common operation would be to create a
plotfile from the current Sheet element, in which case the PLOT command takes the form

PLOT SHEE DXF filename

where filename must always end in .dxf. For example,

PLOT SHEE DXF /SHEET1.dxf

NOTE: For best results when plotting from AutoCAD, the DXF file should be generated
using the CUTMARKS OFF option. For example:

PLOT SHEE DXF /SHEET1.dxf CUTMARKS OFF

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This is done automatically when the Drawing Editor is activated from the DRAFT
forms-and-menus interface.

NOTE: See Section 4.4.1 for details of an important restriction regarding drawing units
when using the PLOT command.

See the PDMS DRAFT User Guide for full details of the PLOT command. This section
describes the optional keywords that can be added to the command.

Using DRAFT’s Graphical User Interface

See the DRAFT on-line help.

4.1.2 Creating the DXF-Format Transfer File from ISODRAFT

See the ISODRAFT on-line help.

4.1.3 Transferring the DXF Plotfile to the Host AutoCAD Platform

This would normally be achieved via ‘ ftp’, the exact method of transfer being dependent on
your network installation.

4.1.4 Starting the Drawing Editor on the Host AutoCAD Platform

NOTES: In the following, where an AutoCAD drawing database file name needs to be
specified, the .dwg extension is added automatically by the script, and so this
must not be included in the specified dwg_filename.

Similarly, the transfer file’s .dxf extension must not be included in the specified
transfer_filename.

Starting the Drawing Editor is done by running the adraftde script which is supplied as part
of the AutoDRAFT package. The script can be used in three ways:

 Creating a New Drawing Editor Drawing

adraftde -new dwg_filename -trfile transfer_filename [-model | -paper]

where dwg_filename is the required AutoCAD drawing database name, and

transfer_filename is the name of the file transferred from DRAFT or ISODRAFT. -model
sets up the drawing in model space, -paper in paper space. If the argument is omitted,
-paper is assumed.

The steps carried out by this form of the script are:

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1. Starts AutoCAD.

2. Creates a drawing file (.dwg) (unless you quit from the AutoDRAFT session).

3. Loads the AutoDRAFT Drawing Editor program.

4. Loads the picture from the transfer file into the drawing layers.

5. Leaves you in a Drawing Editor session. The DRAFT or ISODRAFT drawing is

displayed. The current drawing layer is Layer 0.

 Updating an Existing Drawing Editor Drawing with a New Picture

adraftde -update dwg_filename -trfile transfer_filename [-model | -paper]

where dwg_filename is the name of the required (existing) AutoCAD drawing database,
and transfer_filename is the name of the updated version of the drawing file transferred
from DRAFT.

The steps carried out by this form of the script are:

1. Starts AutoCAD.

2. Opens the specified AutoCAD drawing file.

3. Loads the AutoDRAFT Drawing Editor program.

4. Empties all picture layers, without altering any items on user-defined (AutoCAD) layers.

5. Loads the picture from the transfer file into the drawing layers, including any extra fonts
and linestyles required.

6. Leaves you in a Drawing Editor session. The DRAFT drawing is displayed. The current
layer and the status of user-defined layers are left as they were when you last saved the
drawing.

 Displaying an Existing Drawing Editor Drawing (without updating it)

adraftde -open dwg_filename [-model | -paper]

where dwg_filename is the name of the required (existing) AutoCAD drawing file.

The steps carried out by this form of the script are:

1. Starts AutoCAD.

2. Opens the specified AutoCAD drawing file.

3. Loads the AutoDRAFT Drawing Editor program.

4. Leaves you in a Drawing Editor session. The current layer and the status of user-defined
layers are left as they were when you last saved the drawing.

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4.2 Starting the Drawing Editor from PDMS DRAFT

See the DRAFT on-line help.

4.3 Starting the Drawing Editor from PDMS ISODRAFT

See the ISODRAFT on-line help.

4.4 Notes on the Transfer File

4.4.1 Drawing Units

Entities in transfer files are always measured in millimetres. The units active in DRAFT or
ISODRAFT when the drawing is sent to AutoDRAFT are added to the transfer file as a DXF
comment. The AutoDRAFT start-up mechanism automatically queries the units and scales
the DRAFT/ISODRAFT drawing data if INCH units are specified.

NOTE: If you create a DXF transfer file in DRAFT using the PLOT command (see Section
4.1.1) then the comment inserted into the DXF transfer file to automate the setting
up of AutoCAD units will not be added.

If you then want to read such a DXF transfer file into AutoDRAFT, using INCHES
as units type, then the transfer file needs to be altered manually by appending the
following to the end of the file:

999
PDMS_UNITS INCH

These should be the last two lines of the transfer file. There should be no white
space to the left of this text.

4.4.2 Limitations of DXF File Transfer

There is no AutoCAD equivalent to the DRAFT text attribute CSPA (character spacing).
This attribute will be ignored when generating the DXF file. This results in text strings
being a different length in DRAFT and AutoCAD.

4.4.3 FECs Support in DXF Output (PDMS/J users only)

Drawings which contain Kanji characters may be output as DXF files from DRAFT and
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supplied with the Drawing Editor. The default is EUC. In DRAFT, to obtain output in
SHIFT-JIS format, use

PLOT SHEE DXF /sheet1.dxf CUTMARKS OFF SHIFTJS

(CUTMARKS OFF is optional, but recommended.)

It is recommended that EUC format be used for creating DXF files for use with
AutoDRAFT.

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The Drawing Editor enables you to blank out selected parts of a drawing. This could be
used, for example, to blank out the graphics behind a label. There are three principal
options:

- Create a blank (in the form of a shape (usually a rectangle) defining the outline of a
blank).

- Hide items covered by a blank (and make the blank itself invisible).

- Edit a blank (various options).

These operations, and the different ways of performing them, are described below.

NOTES: Blanks are automatically placed on a special layer called PDMS_BLANKS, even if
this is not your current layer.

When a drawing is updated, any PDMS items other than text which were not
covered by blanks return to the default state, which is covered. Section 5.3
describes how to uncover selected drawing items.

5.1 Creating a Blanking Shape

This operation allows you to create a three- or four-sided shape which can be used to blank
out parts of the drawing. This would commonly be used to blank out graphics behind a label,
as shown in Figure 5-1.

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Figure 5-1 Use of Blanking (entities blank) to hide graphics behind a Label.

Command: pdms_blank_create

Menu Selection: Blank>Create

Initial Prompt: Entities/Irregular/<First corner>:
Use: <First corner>

This is the default option, which creates a rectangular blanking area.

1. Move the mouse pointer and click (left-hand button) on the first corner
of the rectangle. The prompt changes to

Angle/<Other corner>
2. Move the mouse pointer and drag the dotted rectangle that appears
out to the desired size/position. Click again. The prompt changes to

Select objects not to blank:

Select objects:

At this point you can select objects which you do not wish to be covered
by the blank. For example, if blanking a label by using a blanking
rectangle, you would usually still wish to see the label border, the label
text and the leader line. Because text cannot be hidden by a blank, it
will remain shown when the blanking operation is carried out.
3. Move the small square over an object you do not wish to blank and
click. Repeat as necessary, finally pressing Enter at the Select objects
prompt.

(If you do not wish to select any objects not to be blanked then simply
press Enter straight away.)
The Angle option above enables you to create a rectangular blank at an
angle to the principal axes. A possible use of this option could be to blank
out graphics behind angular dimension text.

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Selecting this option (by pressing A after the > character) gives another
prompt which allows you to specify the angle either by typing in a value or
by pointer hit. When specifying the second corner of the rectangle, a line
will follow the pointer which represents a diagonal of the blanking
rectangle.

At this point the blanking rectangle will appear, but the objects within it
will not be blanked. See Section 5.2 for how to carry out the blanking
operation.

An example of ‘ rectangle blanking’ is shown in Figure 5-2. Note the gaps

in the entities behind the blank. ‘ Entity blanking’ can be used to give a
blank which does not leave such gaps. See Figure 5-1.

NOTE: This method of blank creation also works if you are using the
AutoCAD UCS (User Coordinate System) facility.

Figure 5-2 Use of Blanking (rectangular blank) to hide graphics behind a Label.

Irregular

This option (selected by pressing I after the > character) creates an

irregular three- or four-sided shape.

1. Move the mouse pointer and click (left-hand button) on the first corner
of the shape. The prompt changes to

First point:

2. Move the mouse pointer and drag the small square that appears out to
the desired position. Click again.

3. Repeat step 2 twice more. At the prompt

Last Point:

define the last point as before, or press Enter to produce a triangle.

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At this point the blanking shape will appear, but the objects within it will
not be blanked. See Section 5.2 for how to carry out the blanking
operation.

Entities

This option (selected by pressing E after the > character) allows you to
define a blanking rectangle which surrounds the selected entities.
Selecting this option changes the prompt to:

Select objects:

Click on the required entities. When the last entity has been selected
press Enter.

You will then be given the option to enter a value for the Angle of the
rectangular blank. If you press Enter at this prompt, the rectangular
blank calculated will be unrotated.

At this point the blanking rectangle will appear, but the objects within it
will not be blanked. See Section 5.2 for how to carry out the blanking
operation.

NOTE: When the blanking operation is carried out, all entities except
those selected will be hidden.

The entities option is useful for blanking out graphics behind labels. The
picture on the right-hand side of Figure 5-1 has been produced by
defining the label border as the (sole) blanking entity.

Notes: When using the Entities option, the extent of a blank is calculated from the
entities chosen. The entities that may be selected are Points, Lines,
Traces, Solids, Circles, Arcs, Polylines, Inserts, Text, Attribute
Definitions, Inserts with Attributes (invisible attributes are ignored) and
combinations of the above. User coordinate systems are taken into
account when these blanks are created.

The following entities will not blank correctly:

Outsized Text Text, such as some of the mathematical symbols

where it is wider than the specified text width, will
extend over the blank boundary.
Oblique Text The oblique element of this text is ignored.
Vertical Text Vertical text is ignored.
Other Thick Entities Donuts and wide polylines are treated as if they
have zero width.

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‘ Complex’ Inserts Non-uniformly scaled blocks are treated as if they

are uniformly scaled. Externally referenced blocks
(xrefs) are ignored.
Shapes Ignored.
Dimensions Ignored.
Viewports Ignored.
3D Entities 3D Faces, 3D Meshes and 3D polylines are ignored.
Other 3D entities, such as a cylinder made from a
circle with thickness will be blanked around, but
will probably not finish up being covered.

5.2 Blanking

The blank creation operations described in the previous section produce outlines of blanks
which can be used to preview the blanks that you have defined. Hiding the graphics behind
the blanks is carried out as described below.

Command: pdms_blank

Menu Selection: Blank>Blank

Use: There are no command arguments or prompts. The picture is redrawn

with objects ‘ behind’ blanks being hidden. Any visible blank boundaries
will become invisible.

Notes: pdms_blank temporarily removes all lines on the drawing that are hidden
by blanks. The hidden lines will reappear the next time the drawing is
regenerated.

Normally the drawing will be displayed with hidden lines showing.

Blanking can be a time-consuming process, so it is recommended that it is
only done just before producing a plot.

The recommendations given in the AutoCAD Reference Manual for the

hide command also apply to pdms_blank.

Text cannot be hidden by a blank. Items above the world axes XY plane
will not be hidden by a blank. Blanking will only work on entities drawn
on the Z=0 plane. In AutoDRAFT, Z=0 is the location of the drawing
sheet.

Plotting a blanked drawing

AutoCAD plotting should be configured so that hidden lines are removed.

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In order to plot a drawing in AutoCAD where blanks hide the entities

behind them, but where their outlines are invisible, the plot must be
activated from the main AutoCAD menu. If a plot is sent from inside the
AutoCAD drawing editor, any invisible blanks will be ignored, showing
the entities behind them.

5.3 Editing Blanks

The blank editing operations allow you to:

- hide and show the boundaries of blanks

- erase blanks

- cover and uncover entities hidden by blanks.

Command: pdms_blank_edit

Menu Selection: Blank>Visible, Blank>Invisible, Blank>Cover,

Blank>Uncover, Blank>Erase

Initial Prompt: Visible/Invisible/Cover/Uncover/Erase:

Use: Visible Invisible

Blank>Invisible (or I at the command prompt) will make all visible blank
boundaries invisible.

Blank>Visible (or V at the command prompt) will make all invisible blank
boundaries visible.

Notes: Blank boundaries are drawn as purple (AutoCAD colour 194) solid lines.

If you wish to create a new blank, all invisible blanks must first be made
visible.

pdms_blank makes blanks invisible. In order to see them after a

pdms_blank command use pdms_blank_edit Visible.

pdms_blank_edit Invisible will fail if PDMS_BLANKS is the current layer,

returning an error message. To recover from this condition, make a layer
other than PDMS_BLANKS the current one.

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Cover Uncover

Blank>Uncover (or U at the command prompt).

(Use following a Blank>Create operation but before a Blank>Blank

operation.) The prompt changes to

Select objects to uncover:

Select objects:

Click on the entities that you require not to be hidden by the covering
blank. The hit entity will be highlighted. When the last entity has been
selected press Enter.

When the next Blank>Blank operation is carried out, the hit entities will
not be hidden by the blank.

Blank>Cover (or C at the command prompt) can be used to mark as

‘ covered’ entities which had previously been marked as ‘ uncovered’. The
prompt changes to

Select objects to cover:

Select objects:

Click on the entities that you require to change from being marked as
‘ uncovered’ to ‘ covered’. The hit entity will be highlighted. When the last
entity has been selected press Enter.

When the next Blank>Blank operation is carried out, the hit entities will
be hidden by the blank.

Notes: If an object is uncovered it will be seen on top of all blanks, if it is covered

it will be covered by all blanks. It is not possible to have a single object
covered by one blank, but uncovered by another.

Erase

The prompt changes to

Select blanks to erase:

Select objects:

Click on the boundaries of the blanks you wish to erase. The hit blank will
be highlighted. When the last blank has been selected press Enter.

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The picture will be redrawn with the outlines of the hit blanks no longer
shown.

Items hidden by erased blanks will still be hidden. Use the AutoCAD
regen command to redisplay the ‘ unblanked’ items.

Notes: If blanks are not visible they will be made visible by this option so they
can be selected at the Select objects: prompt. If any objects other than
blanks are selected they will not be erased. Blanks can also be deleted
with the AutoCAD erase command.

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Miscellaneous facilities available in the Drawing Editor enable you to:

- map the DRAFT layers onto user-defined AutoCAD layers;

- control layer visibility and the susceptibility of layers to regenerate operations;

- apply PDMS colours to PDMS layers;

- load text from a file onto a drawing;

- copy/resize part of a drawing;

- create/select paper space viewports;

- leave AutoCAD avoiding the AutoCAD main menu.

These operations, and the different ways of performing them, are described below.

The available options allow you to turn PDMS and User layers on and off, and to ‘ freeze’ and
‘ thaw’ them, enabling you to distinguish easily the PDMS and non-PDMS parts of the
AutoCAD drawing.

6.1 Layer Mapping

This facility allows you to move automatically entities from PDMS DRAFT layers to
AutoCAD layers by mapping the DRAFT layers onto user-defined AutoCAD layers. (These
user-defined layers will be created automatically if they do not already exist.)

The operation of this facility depends upon the contents of a user-defined text file named
pdmslaymap.txt, which must exist in the user’s local directory and which must have read
access. Each line of the file may contain the following four fields:

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1. The name of the PDMS layer.

2. The name of the corresponding user-defined AutoCAD layer.

3. The colour number for the AutoCAD layer (in the range 1-255).

4. The linestyle for the AutoCAD layer (in the range 1-255).

NOTE: Not all of the above need be included. Fields 1. and 2. are compulsory. The
allowable optional fields are 3. or 3. and 4. (i.e. having fields 1., 2., and 4. only
would be illegal).

Each field should be separated by a single space or a <tab> character only. Comment text
may be inserted, denoted by having ‘ $*’ as the first two characters of the line.

If the AutoCAD layer does not exist it will be created with the supplied colour and linestyle.
If it does exist then the supplied colour and linestyle will be ignored. If the colour number is
not supplied, and if the AutoCAD layer is to be created, then it will be created using colour 7
(white). Similarly, if the linestyle is not supplied, and if the AutoCAD layer is to be created,
then it will be created with linestyle GTSOLID.

Command: pdms_layer_mapping

Menu Selection: PDMS Draw>PDMS Layer Mapping

Initial Prompt: Do you want to apply layer mapping ? <NO>:

Use: Press Enter to abort, or enter yes (or YES) and press Enter to proceed.

Assuming the pdmslaymap.txt file exists and is correctly structured, the

appropriate actions (see above) will be carried out.

Example: Suppose pdmslaymap.txt contains the following text, and that layer
LAY1 does not currently exist on the drawing, but that LAY2 does:

$*First layer
GT_1 LAY1 5 GTSOLID
$*Second layer
GT_2 LAY2 6 GTDASH

On applying the layer mapping utility, AutoDRAFT will move all entities
from PDMS layer GT_1 to AutoCAD layer LAY1. Layer LAY1 will be
created in colour 5 (blue), and linetype GTSOLID. All entities on PDMS
layer GT_2 will be moved to AutoCAD layer LAY2. Since layer LAY2
already exists the supplied colour number (6, magenta) and linestyle
(GTDASH) will be ignored. Note that empty PDMS layers will not be
deleted. (It is suggested that these empty layers are removed by using the
AutoCAD PURGE command.)

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An entity whose linestyle is set to BYLAYER on its PDMS layer will also have its linestyle
set to BYLAYER when it is moved to the AutoCAD layer. However, if the linestyle setting
for an entity differs from that of the owning PDMS layer, then the entity-level setting will be
preserved when it is moved to the AutoCAD layer. This rule also applies to the colour
attribute.

If an ‘ update’ operation is applied (i.e. if the Update existing Drawing button is pressed on
the AutoDRAFT Drawing Editor form; see the DRAFT User Guide and on-line help) to a
drawing which has already had the pdms_layer_mapping command applied to it, then it is
likely that multiple copies of some or all of the PDMS entities will appear on the drawing. It
is therefore not advisable to apply the pdms_layer_mapping command to a drawing which
requires further PDMS updates.

6.2 Controlling Layers

Command: pdms_layers

Menu Selection: PDMS Draw>PDMS Layers, PDMS Draw>User Layers

Initial Prompt: User/<Pdms>:

Use: (Whether User or PDMS is selected, the resulting options are the same.)

ON

(Type ON or make On selection from pull-down menu.)

Appropriate layers are turned on.

OFF

(Type OFF or make Off selection from pull-down menu.)

Appropriate layers are turned off.

Freeze

(Press F or make Freeze selection from pull-down menu.)

Appropriate layers are ‘ frozen’, i.e. they will not be regenerated by an

AutoCAD regen command.

Thaw

(Press T or make Thaw selection from pull-down menu.)

‘ Unfreezes’ the appropriate frozen layers.

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For example, by selecting pdms_layers off, you can see only the AutoCAD
entities added since the DRAFT drawing was transferred.

Notes: pdms_layers controls all PDMS (GT_) layers or all other (user) layers
with a single command. The layer controls ON, OFF, Freeze and Thaw
are described in the AutoCAD Reference Manual.

6.3 Applying PDMS Colours

This option allows you to apply PDMS standard colours to PDMS layers on a Drawing
Editor drawing.

Command: pdms_colour (or pdms_color)

Menu Selection: PDMS Draw>PDMS Colours

Use: (Simply type the command or make the menu selection; there are no
arguments or options)

Notes: Each PDMS (GT_) layer on a Drawing Editor drawing corresponds to a

colour used in the drawing, so all entities in a given colour appear on the
same AutoDRAFT layer. Each entity on the PDMS layers has the default
AutoCAD colour attribute BYLAYER. The DXF output does not specify
layer colours, so all entities appear in the default AutoCAD colour 7
(white).

This facility gives you the ability to colour entities to match your plotter
pen set-up. If you want to see the PDMS colours reproduced in AutoCAD
the pdms_colour function will apply colours close to the twelve PDMS
standard colours to layers ‘ GT_1’ through ‘ GT_12’.

General points:

- If the standard colour settings in DRAFT have been changed, this

change will not be picked up by pdms_colour, so only standard
colours will be used in AutoDRAFT.

- If colours have already been set for the PDMS layers they will be
changed by pdms_colour.

- If individual entities have been assigned specific colours they will be

unaffected by the pdms_colour command.

- If entities have been coloured individually, and you want them to

appear in the layer colour, then you should use the AutoCAD chprop
command to change their colours to BYLAYER.

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6.4 Loading Text from a File onto a Drawing

This option allows you to load lines of text from an ASCII file onto a drawing.

Command: pdms_textfile

Menu Selection: PDMS Draw>Load Text

Initial Prompt: Filename of text file:

Use: Enter the name of the text file, with extension (if present).

Left/Centre/Right/<start point>:

Click where you wish the text to start, or select one of the justification
options (by pressing L, C or R as appropriate). The justification options
will give

Start point:
Centre point:
or End point:

prompts. Click at the required justification point. The default is left

justified.

The remaining prompts are:

Height <default>:

where default is the AutoCAD default text height. This will be the last
text height used, or the starting default (0.2). A height of at least 10 times
the AutoCAD starting default (for metric drawings) is recommended.

Press Enter to accept the default value, input a new value, or define the
text height by clicking on a point above the text start point.

Rotation angle <default>:

where default is the AutoCAD default rotation angle. This will be the last
angle used, or the starting default (0).

Press Enter to accept the default value, input a new value, or define the
angle by clicking on a suitable point.

Line Spacing (range -0.5 to 3.0) <default>:

where default is the AutoCAD default line spacing. This will be the last
spacing used, or the starting default (0).

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Press Enter to accept the default value, or input a new value.

See Notes: below for further details.

Block Name/<None>:

If you wish the text to be placed in a block then input the block name,
otherwise just press Enter.

Notes: Text is loaded from a file onto the current layer on the drawing.

The start point is always located at the top of the input text.

Text height and rotation are specified in the same way as the AutoCAD
text command.

Line spacing factor (LSF) specifies the gap between lines of text. It is
measured as a proportion of the text height. If LSF=0 (the default) the
lines are positioned one below the other with no gap. If LSF=1, one blank
line is left between each line of text.

If LSF=-0.2 then the lines of text will overlap. Note that text fonts allow
for spacing above and below characters in the font. This means that the
text body itself may not overlap with adjacent lines of text for small
negative LSF (e.g. -0.1).

If a block name is specified the text loaded onto the drawing is put into a
block of that name and an INSERT created on the drawing. If no block
name is specified then the text is loaded onto the drawing as individual
text entities.

If a block name is used more than once, then previous examples of blocks
with that name will be redefined (to conform to the new settings) should
you respond positively to the Redefine it? prompt.

The MONOTXT font (or any other fixed-spaced font) is recommended

when loading in column style reports.

6.5 Copying and Resizing Part of a Drawing

This option allows you to copy a specified group of objects, with the option to give the copy a
different size to the original.

Command: pdms_copy

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Menu Selection: PDMS Draw>Copy Magnify

Initial Prompt: Select objects:

Use: Click on the objects you wish to copy/magnify. Press Enter to finish
selecting.

Base point or displacement:

Click on the base point, i.e. the ‘ from’ point for the copy operation. This
would usually be on or within one of the selected objects, but it may be
displaced. See Figure 6-1 (point 1).

2
d
2

1
d 1

undisplaced base point displaced base point

Figure 6-1 Definition of Base Point for Copy Operation.

Second point of displacement:

This is the ‘ to’ point of the copy operation. See Figure 6-1 (point 2).

Magnify base point/<None>:

Pressing Enter at this point will give a same-size copy of the selected
group of objects.

To produce a resized copy, click on the point that you wish to be the base
point for the resize operation. Again, this would usually be on or within
one of the selected objects, but it may be displaced. See Figure 6-2.
(Resulting magnified object shown dashed).

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undisplaced base point displaced base point

Figure 6-2 Definition of Base Point for Magnify Operation.

<Magnification factor>/Reference:

The default input for this prompt is simply a value, for example ‘ 2’ will
give a copy twice as large as the original. (If you wish to produce a copy
smaller than the original, input a value less than 1.)

Pressing R (for ‘ Reference’) gives two further prompts:

Reference length:
New length:

This option enables the copy to be magnified in an absolute sense rather

than a relative sense. It works in exactly the same way as the Reference
option of the AutoCAD scale command; see the AutoCAD Reference
Manual.

The final prompt of the copy/magnify operation is

Copy to current layer No<Yes>:

The magnified copy will be created on the current layer unless you reply
‘ No’ (press N). Note that any objects put onto PDMS ‘ GT_’ layers will be
lost when the picture is updated with the latest version of the drawing
from PDMS DRAFT.

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6.6 Creating a Paper Space Viewport on a Drawing

This option creates a paper space viewport and makes it the current viewport.

Command: pdms_view_create

Menu Selection: PDMS Draw>Create Viewport

Initial Prompt: Select region to view

First point:

Use: Click on one corner of the part of the drawing that you wish to be
contained within the viewport.

Other corner:

Drag out the rectangle which appears, and click on the other corner.

Position new viewport:

A rectangle representing the new viewport moves with the crosshairs.

Click on the required position.

Magnify - base point/<None>:

Pressing Enter at this point will give a same-size copy of the windowed
group of objects, and the viewport creation operation will be complete.

To produce a resized copy, click on the point that you wish to be the base
point for the resize operation. (Should this point be outside the viewport,
the viewport will be displaced as illustrated in Figure 6-2.)

<Magnification factor>/Reference:

The default input for this prompt is simply a value, for example ‘ 2’ will
give a copy twice as large as the original. (If you wish to produce a copy
smaller than the original, input a value less than 1.)

Pressing R (for ‘ Reference’) gives two further prompts:

Reference length:
New length:

This option enables the copy to be magnified in an absolute sense rather

than a relative sense. It works in exactly the same way as the Reference
option of the AutoCAD scale command; see the AutoCAD Reference
Manual.

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NOTE: The drawing should be zoomed out to the edge of the drawing
sheet in order that the new views are seen in their correct
position with respect to the sheet. (See also Section 3.3.1.)

6.7 Selecting a Paper Space Viewport on a Drawing

This option selects a paper space viewport and makes it the current viewport, thus enabling
all of the AutoCAD facilities to be used within it.

Command: pdms_view_sel

Menu Selection: PDMS Draw>Select Viewport

Initial Prompt: Select a viewport

Use: Click on the boundary of the viewport you wish to make current.

Notes: When a DRAFT drawing is loaded into AutoDRAFT it is placed in a paper

space viewport which is the same size as the sheet.

pdms_view_sel must be used to select a viewport; it is not possible to

make a viewport current simply by pressing the pick button inside its
boundary.

6.8 Leaving AutoCAD, Without Saving Changes

This option allows you to leave AutoCAD without saving changes, avoiding the AutoCAD
main menu.

Command: pdms_quitacad

Menu Selection: PDMS Draw>PDMS QuitAcad

Initial Prompt: Quit AutoCAD - Are you sure? Yes/No:

Use: Press Y (or type YES or YE) to quit; anything else will not quit.

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6.9 Leaving AutoCAD, Saving Changes

This option allows you to leave AutoCAD while saving changes, avoiding the AutoCAD
main menu.

Command: pdms_endacad

Menu Selection: PDMS Draw>PDMS EndAcad

Use: (No prompt; simply type in the command or make the menu selection.)

Notes: The drawing will be saved over any existing drawing of the same name.

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7.1 The Symbol Editor Functions

The Symbol Editor allows you to create symbol templates in AutoCAD and transfer the
template graphics into a DRAFT Symbol Library (SYLB element). The symbol templates
must be constructed from a subset of AutoCAD entities and attributes which can be
reproduced in DRAFT. You can create those entities using any AutoCAD geometry
definition facilities, including hatching, spline curve fitting and offsetting.

The Symbol Editor reads AutoCAD drawing entities and creates a DRAFT command macro
that reproduces AutoCAD block inserts as Symbol Templates (SYTM elements) in DRAFT,
each owning 2D primitives.

If any of the SYTMs thus defined already exist in the current DRAFT Symbol Library then
the old 2D primitives are deleted and replaced by the new definition.

See Chapters 8, 9 and 10 for details of how to use the Symbol Editor.

7.2 AutoCAD Working Practices

Symbol templates can be created using standard AutoCAD functions. The special
requirements for drawing organisation are as follows:

- Each symbol template is represented by a Block insert which is constructed from

AutoCAD entities that can be translated into DRAFT entities by the pdms_symbols
command (see Chapter 10).

- Each symbol block must have an AutoCAD attribute (ATTRIB) called PDMS_NAME.
The DRAFT symbol name is given in response to the PDMS_NAME attdef command
prompt when the symbol Block is inserted on a drawing. (See Section 9.2.)

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- Symbol template inserts should be on a separate layer from any annotation for the
symbol templates. Annotation may be sent to DRAFT by using the AutoDRAFT
Frame Editor - see Chapters 11-13.

- The drawing limits must match the size of the Symbol Library sheet in DRAFT (see
Section 7.3).

Note that 3D AutoCAD entities in symbol inserts cannot be sent back to DRAFT. Attributes
entities on the top-level Insert are ignored (other than the PDMS_NAME attribute).
Entities smaller than 0.01mm may be ignored or simplified. Symbol inserts can contain the
following AutoCAD entities:

- Line
- Point
- Circle
- Arc
- Text (with Generation Normal)
- Polyline (including fitted curves and splined curves)
- Inserts which contain 2D primitives as specified above, including any Attributes.

7.3 Symbol Library Annotation

In DRAFT, symbol templates are stored in Symbol Library (SYLB) elements. Each SYLB is
like a drawing sheet containing pictures of all the symbol templates in the library.

In order to add annotation to the symbol templates it is necessary to create a Backing Sheet
(BACK) element in DRAFT which is used as a backdrop on the symbol library sheet.

The annotation should be on layers separate from the symbol template graphics in the
symbol blocks. This enables you to freeze the layer(s) containing the symbol template
graphics and create a backing sheet from the remaining annotation layer(s) using the
AutoDRAFT Frame Editor.

In DRAFT, you must add a reference to the backing sheet from the SYLB element (BSRF
attribute) to see the symbol templates and annotation together.

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There are two methods of starting the Symbol Editor:

- Directly. This method is used when AutoCAD and PDMS are on separate hardware
platforms.

- From PDMS DRAFT. This method is used when AutoCAD and PDMS are on the same
hardware platform.

8.1 Starting the Symbol Editor Directly

8.1.1 Starting the Symbol Editor on the Host AutoCAD Platform

NOTES: In the following, where an AutoCAD drawing database file name needs to be
specified, the .dwg extension is added automatically by the script, and so this
must not be included in the specified dwg_filename.

Starting the Symbol Editor is done by running the adraftse script which is supplied as part
of the AutoDRAFT package. The script can be used in two ways:

 Creating a New Symbol Editor Drawing

adraftse -new dwg_filename

where dwg_filename is the required AutoCAD drawing database name.

The steps carried out by this form of the script are:

1. Starts AutoCAD.

2. Creates a drawing file (.dwg) (unless you quit from the AutoDRAFT session).

3. Loads the AutoDRAFT Symbol Editor program.

4. Leaves you in an AutoDRAFT Symbol Editor session with an empty drawing.

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 Opening an Existing Symbol Editor Drawing

adraftse -open dwg_filename

where dwg_filename is the name of the required (existing) AutoCAD drawing database.

The steps carried out by this form of the script are:

1. Starts AutoCAD.

2. Opens the specified AutoCAD drawing file.

3. Loads the AutoDRAFT Symbol Editor program.

4. Leaves you in a Symbol Editor session with an existing drawing displayed.

8.2 Starting the Symbol Editor from PDMS DRAFT

See the PDMS DRAFT Administration Application User Guide, Chapter 14.

8.3 Setting the Drawing Size in AutoCAD

The size of the AutoCAD drawing should match the size of the symbol library (SYLB) sheet.
When setting up a symbol templates drawing in AutoCAD the limits should be set such that
the lower left corner is at 0,0 and the upper right corner is at the upper right corner of the
sheet. The AutoCAD command limits is used to specify drawing limits. For example an A0
metric sheet would be specified by :

Command: limits

ON/OFF/<Lower left corner><current value>: 0,0

Upper right corner<current value>: 1189,841

An E size sheet (44"x34") would be specified by:

ON/OFF/<Lower left corner><current value>: 0,0

Upper right corner<current value>: 44,34

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Templates

The Symbol Editor allows you to create symbol templates in AutoCAD as AutoCAD blocks.
A block, and an insert of the block, are created. (Blocks may, of course, be created using
standard AutoCAD commands, but the AutoDRAFT Symbol Editor provides a method
which is optimised for the creation of blocks to be used as symbol templates in DRAFT.)

The procedure for creating a symbol template is:

1. Create the symbol graphics using lines, points, circles, arcs, polylines and text.

2. Create an AutoCAD attribute called PDMS_NAME for the symbol name.

3. Create a block and an insert of the block.

9.1 Creating the Symbol Name Attribute

A typical attdef command sequence would be:

Command: attdef

Initial Prompt: Attribute modes -- Invisible:N Constant:N Verify:N Preset:N

Enter (ICVP) to change, RETURN when done:

Use: set modes as required in response to the initial prompt. The remaining
prompts and required responses are:

Attribute tag: enter PDMS_NAME

Attribute Prompt: enter Enter PDMS symbol name (for example)

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Default attribute value: press Enter (or Return)

Justify/Style/<Start point>:
Height<default>: as for text command
Rotation angle<default>:

9.2 Creating a Block and an Insert of the Block

Command: pdms_make_symbol

Menu Selection: PDMS Symbol>Make Symbol

Initial Prompt: Enter Symbol Block Name:

Use: enter the desired block name in response to the initial prompt. The
remaining prompts and required responses are:

Insert base point: select point (= origin of DRAFT symbol

template)
Select Objects: select symbol graphics and attribute
Scale factor<1>: enter required factor or press Enter
Rotation angle<0>: enter required angle or press Enter

Finally, enter the required PDMS symbol name. The prompt displayed
will be that defined when the ATTDEF command was used, for example:

Enter PDMS symbol name:

NOTE: If desired, the AutoCAD block and insert commands may be used instead of the
above sequence. If this option is taken up, do not use differential scale when
defining the insertion scale factor.

9.3 Redefining a Symbol

1. Create the new symbol graphics and PDMS attribute.

2. Create a block containing the new symbol definition. If the specified block name already
exists the following prompt is given:

Block QDPH already exists

Redefine it? <N>

If the reply is N or if Enter is pressed, the block command exits without changing anything.
If the reply is Y, any inserts of that block are redefined.

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The procedure for this depends on whether:

- you have entered the Symbol Editor directly (AutoCAD and DRAFT not linked together
on same hardware platform);

- you have entered the Symbol Editor from DRAFT (AutoCAD and DRAFT on same
hardware platform).

10.1 Direct Entry to Symbol Editor (using adraftse command)

Command: pdms_symbols

Menu Selection: PDMS Symbol>Write Symbol

Initial Prompt: Select Objects:

Use: select the required block inserts. The remaining prompts and required
responses are:

Inch/<MM>: - enter required units (default

millimetres)
Draft Symbol Library Name <CE>: - enter name of destination
DRAFT SYLB element (default
‘ current element’)
Draft Command Filename: - enter a filename for the
command macro (note: the .mac
suffix, conventional in PDMS, is
not automatically added)

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The above procedure will create the macro file and save it in the current directory. This can
then be run in PDMS from the command line using the $M/ command (having first
navigated to the correct database position if the CE option was selected), or the relevant
DRAFT menu option may be used - see the PDMS DRAFT Administration Application User
Guide, Chapter 14.

NOTE: The ways in which AutoCAD entities and attributes are mapped to DRAFT
elements and attributes are described in Appendix B.

10.2 Entry to Symbol Editor from DRAFT

Command: pdms_symbols

Menu Selection: PDMS Symbol>Write Symbol

Initial Prompt: Select Objects:

Use: select the required block inserts.

In this case the units, DRAFT Symbol Library name and command file name have already
been specified on entry to AutoDRAFT, and so need not be reinput.

Having selected the required block inserts, AutoCAD will output messages indicating the
number of inserts read and the number of symbols output. Having exited AutoCAD, the
SYTM elements will be automatically created as members of the destination Symbol
Library.

10.3 Leaving AutoCAD, Without Saving Changes

This option allows you to leave AutoCAD without saving changes, avoiding the AutoCAD
main menu.

Command: pdms_quitacad

Menu Selection: PDMS Draw>PDMS QuitAcad

Initial Prompt: Quit AutoCAD - Are you sure? Yes/No:

Use: Press Y (or type YES or YE) to quit; anything else will not quit.

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10.4 Leaving AutoCAD, Saving Changes

This option allows you to leave AutoCAD while saving changes, avoiding the AutoCAD
main menu.

Command: pdms_endacad

Menu Selection: PDMS Draw>PDMS EndAcad

Use: (No prompt; simply type in the command or make the menu selection.)

Notes: DRAFT will read in the macro created to produce the required Symbol
Templates (SYTW elements) in the current Symbol Library.

10.5 Symbol Template Naming Conventions

The Symbol Template name must be a valid PDMS database name.

If the name has already been defined in the current DRAFT Symbol Library, the old 2D
primitives are deleted and replaced by the new definition.

If the name has already been used for any other PDMS database element, the process will
be aborted.

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11.1 The Frame Editor Functions

The Frame Editor allows you to create DRAFT Backing Sheets from AutoCAD drawings.
The most common use of Backing Sheets in DRAFT is to store standard drawing frames.
These can be used by DRAFT as a backdrop to its drawing sheets.

The Frame Editor reads AutoCAD drawing entities and creates a DRAFT command macro
that reproduces the picture in DRAFT. The mapping from AutoCAD entities to DRAFT
entities is described in Appendix B.

The Sheet command file can be read into a DRAFT Sheet Library (SHLB) element in the
database. A BACK database element will be created, which owns one or more NOTE
elements containing the 2D primitives.

It is also possible to create DRAFT Overlay Sheets with the Frame Editor. An Overlay
Sheet in DRAFT has similar properties to a Backing Sheet. The Frame Editor can create
Overlay Sheet (OVER) database elements containing one or more Sheet Note (NOTE)
elements. The Sheet Note contains all the 2D primitives on the sheet.

Overlay Sheets could be used to combine a DRAFT drawing sheet with detail graphics
drawn in AutoCAD. The graphics imported from AutoCAD can then be stored, drawn and
plotted within PDMS DRAFT.

If the specified Backing Sheet or Overlay Sheet already exists in the specified DRAFT Sheet
Library then the old 2D primitives are deleted and replaced by the new definition.

See Chapters 12 and 13 for details of how to use the Frame Editor.

11.2 AutoCAD Working Practices

A Backing/Overlay Sheet can be created using standard AutoCAD functions. The only
special requirement for a Sheet is that it is constructed from AutoCAD entities that can be

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translated into DRAFT entities (see Appendix B). Note that 3D AutoCAD entities cannot be
sent back to DRAFT. AutoCAD entities smaller than 0.01mm will not be transferred. The
AutoCAD entities that can be reproduced in DRAFT are:

- Line
- Point
- Circle
- Arc
- Text (with Generation Normal)
- Attribute (Visible, with Generation Normal)
- Polyline (including fitted curves and splined curves)
- Inserts which contain 2D primitives as specified above

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There are two methods of starting the Frame Editor:

- Directly. This method is used when AutoCAD and PDMS are on separate hardware
platforms.

- From PDMS DRAFT. This method is used when AutoCAD and PDMS are on the same
hardware platform.

12.1 Starting the Frame Editor Directly

12.1.1 Starting the Frame Editor on the Host AutoCAD Platform

NOTES: In the following, where an AutoCAD drawing database file name needs to be
specified, the .dwg extension is added automatically by the script, and so this
must not be included in the specified dwg_filename.

Starting the Frame Editor is done by running the adraftbe script which is supplied as part of
the AutoDRAFT package. The script can be used in two ways:

 Creating a New Frame Editor Drawing

adraftbe -new dwg_filename

where dwg_filename is the required AutoCAD drawing database name.

The steps carried out by this form of the script are:

1. Starts AutoCAD.

2. Creates a drawing file (.dwg) (unless you quit from the AutoDRAFT session).

3. Loads the AutoDRAFT Frame Editor program.

4. Leaves you in an AutoDRAFT Frame Editor session with an empty drawing.

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 Opening an Existing Frame Editor Drawing

adraftbe -open dwg_filename

where dwg_filename is the name of the required (existing) AutoCAD drawing database.

The steps carried out by this form of the script are:

1. Starts AutoCAD.

2. Opens the specified AutoCAD drawing file.

3. Loads the AutoDRAFT Frame Editor program.

4. Leaves you in a Frame Editor session with an existing drawing displayed.

12.2 Starting the Frame Editor from PDMS DRAFT

See the PDMS DRAFT Administration Guide.

12.3 Setting the Drawing Size in AutoCAD

The size of the AutoCAD drawing should match the size of the Sheet Library (SHLB) sheet.
When setting up a Frame Editor drawing in AutoCAD the limits should be set such that the
lower left corner is at 0,0 and the upper right corner is at the upper right corner of the sheet.
The AutoCAD limits command is used to specify drawing limits. For example an A0 metric
sheet would be specified by :

Command: limits

ON/OFF/<Lower left corner><current value>: 0,0

Upper right corner<current value>: 1189,841

An E size sheet (44"x34") would be specified by:

ON/OFF/<Lower left corner><current value>: 0,0

Upper right corner<current value>: 44,34

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Command Files

Having drawn the required Sheet graphics in AutoCAD, the procedure for creating the
command macro for import into DRAFT depends on whether:

- you have entered the Frame Editor directly (AutoCAD and DRAFT not linked together
on same hardware platform).

- you have entered the Frame Editor from DRAFT (AutoCAD and DRAFT on same
hardware platform).

13.1 Direct Entry to Frame Editor (using adraftbe command)

Command: pdms_sheet

Menu Selection: PDMS Frame>Write Sheet

Initial Prompt: Select Objects:

Use: select the required entities. The remaining prompts and required
responses are:

Inch/<MM>: - enter required units (default

millimetres)
Over/<Back>: - - choose to create Overlay or Backing
Sheet
Draft Sheet Library Name <CE>: - enter name of destination DRAFT
SHLB element (default ‘ current
element’)

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BACK Sheet name:* - enter a valid PDMS name for the

sheet
Draft Command Filename: - enter a filename for the command
macro (note: the .mac suffix,
conventional in PDMS, is not
automatically added)

* OVER Sheet Name if Over has been chosen earlier

The above procedure will create the macro file and save it in the current directory. This can
then be run in PDMS from the command line using the $M/ command (having first
navigated to the correct database position if the CE option was selected), or the relevant
DRAFT menu option may be used - see the PDMS DRAFT Administration Guide.

NOTE: The ways in which AutoCAD entities and attributes are mapped to DRAFT
elements and attributes are described in Appendix B.

13.2 Entry to Frame Editor from DRAFT

Command: pdms_sheet

Menu Selection: PDMS Frame>Write sheet

Initial Prompt: Select Objects:

Use: select the required entities.

In this case the units, DRAFT Sheet Library name, sheet element name and command file
name have already been specified on entry to AutoDRAFT, and so need not be reinput.

Having selected the required entities, AutoCAD will output messages indicating the
number of entities read and the number output. Having exited AutoCAD, the BACK (or
OVER) element will be automatically created as the first member of the destination Sheet
Library, with a member NOTE element having 2D Primitives as its own members.

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13.3 Leaving AutoCAD, Without Saving Changes

This option allows you to leave AutoCAD without saving changes, avoiding the AutoCAD
main menu.

Command: pdms_quitacad

Menu Selection: PDMS Draw>PDMS QuitAcad

Initial Prompt: Quit AutoCAD - Are you sure? Yes/No:

Use: Press Y (or type YES or YE) to quit; anything else will not quit.

13.4 Leaving AutoCAD, Saving Changes

This option allows you to leave AutoCAD while saving changes, avoiding the AutoCAD
main menu.

Command: pdms_endacad

Menu Selection: PDMS Draw>PDMS EndAcad

Use: (No prompt; simply type in the command or make the menu selection.)

Notes: DRAFT will read in the macro created to produce the required
BACK/OVER elements in the current Sheet Library.

13.5 Sheet Naming Conventions

The names assigned to Backing Sheets and Overlay Sheets which are to be created by an
imported command macro will be treated as described below.

13.5.1 Backing Sheet Name

The Backing Sheet name must be a valid PDMS database name.

If the name has already been used for a Backing Sheet in the specified Sheet Library when
the command macro is read into DRAFT, it will be assumed that this is a replacement
drawing. All graphics on the old Backing Sheet will be deleted and the new graphics read in
to replace it.

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If the name has already been used for any other database element in the PDMS database
then the command file will be aborted.

13.5.2 Overlay Sheet Name

The rules for Overlay Sheets are the same as those for Backing Sheets with one exception - if
an Overlay Sheet already exists in the Sheet Library, and it contains a VIEW element, it
will not be overwritten.

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A.1 Using DRAFT with AutoDRAFT

It is difficult to describe a simple sequence of steps for using DRAFT with AutoDRAFT
because they can be combined in a number of different ways depending on users’
requirements. The examples below describe two different ways of using DRAFT with
AutoDRAFT

A.1.1 Suggested Working Practice 1

Most of the drawing annotation is done in AutoCAD. The final drawing is an AutoCAD
drawing, not a PDMS drawing. Plots are output using AutoCAD. DRAFT is used to create
views of PDMS Design geometry with labels and dimensions.

The Frame Editor may not be required if all drawing borders are to be added in AutoCAD.

The Symbol Editor may be used at the beginning of a project to create a DRAFT symbol
template library for ‘ intelligent’ symbolic labels.

For each drawing sheet:

- Create hidden-line views of the design in DRAFT.

- Dimension the drawing in DRAFT

- Add ‘ intelligent’ labels in DRAFT (i.e. those containing information extracted from the
database using the intelligent text system).

- Send the drawing Sheet to the Drawing Editor.

- Add drawing frame, symbols, text notes, detail views etc. using AutoCAD functions.

- Plot the drawing using AutoCAD plotting

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To update a drawing:

- Update hidden-line views in DRAFT, including dimensions and labels.

- Send the drawing to the Drawing Editor.

- The Drawing Editor removes the original PDMS layers from the AutoCAD drawing
file and replaces them with the updated DRAFT picture. Original AutoCAD additions
(on AutoCAD layers) remain unchanged, but AutoCAD additions on PDMS layers will
be lost.

A.1.2 Suggested Working Practice 2

Most of the drawing is created in DRAFT. Symbols and backing/overlay sheet libraries are
created in AutoCAD. The final drawing is a DRAFT drawing. Plots are output using PDMS
plotting. The Drawing Editor is used to add hatching and other details.

The Symbol Editor and Frame Editor are used at the beginning of a project to create
Symbol Template and Backing/Overlay Sheet libraries in DRAFT.

For each drawing sheet:

- Create a sheet, specifying a border from a backing sheet library.

- Create hidden-line views of the design in DRAFT.

- Dimension and label the drawing in DRAFT.

- Add symbols from the symbol template library, along with other annotation.

- If necessary, send the Sheet to the Drawing Editor.

- Add graphics using AutoCAD functions

- Use the Frame Editor to send drawing items added in AutoCAD back to an
Overlay/Backing Sheet in the DRAFT database

- Delete the AutoCAD drawing

- In DRAFT, reference the Overlay/Backing Sheet from the Drawing Sheet

- Plot the drawing in PDMS

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To update a drawing:

- Update hidden-line views in DRAFT, including dimensions and labels.

- If it is necessary to send the drawing to the Drawing Editor, delete from the
AutoCAD-generated Backing/Overlay Sheet any drawing items to be replaced in
AutoCAD.

- Send the Sheet to the Drawing Editor, creating a new (temporary) AutoCAD
drawing.

- Add new drawing items and send to a new Overlay/Backing Sheet in DRAFT.

A.2 Using ISODRAFT with AutoDRAFT

It is difficult to describe a simple sequence of steps for using ISODRAFT with AutoDRAFT
because they can be combined in a number of different ways depending on users’
requirements. The example below describes one way of using ISODRAFT with AutoDRAFT

A.2.1 Suggested Working Practice

Most of the drawing annotation is done in AutoCAD. The final drawing is an AutoCAD
drawing, not a PDMS drawing. Plots are output using AutoCAD. ISODRAFT is used to
create isometric views of PDMS.

For each drawing:

- Send the drawing to the Drawing Editor.

- Add drawing frame, symbols, text notes, detail views etc using AutoCAD functions.

- Plot the drawing using AutoCAD plotting

NOTE: With ISODRAFT, AutoDRAFT can only be used to create new drawings or open
existing ones.

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Mapping

B.1 AutoCAD Entities into DRAFT Elements

The table below shows the mapping from AutoCAD entities into DRAFT elements. Any
AutoCAD entities not mentioned in the table are ignored, and will not be represented in the
DRAFT database.

All AutoCAD entities must be in model space. They can be drawn in the world coordinate
system, or they can be drawn in a User Coordinate System (UCS) providing that the Z-axis
of the UCS is in the same direction as the World Z-axis.

AutoCAD Entity DRAFT Element

Line Line (STRA)
Point Point (MRKP)
Circle Circle (CIRC)
Arc Arc (ARC)
Text Text (TEXP)
Attribute Text (TEXP)
Polyline straight Line (STRA)
Polyline arc Arc (ARC) including arcs generated by curve fitting
Ellipse (polyline) Set of arcs (ARC)
Spline fit polylines Set of lines (STRA).
Spline frame control points ignored
Insert Expanded into 2D primitives as specified above. Insert
must not be differentially scaled.

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B.2 AutoCAD Attributes into DRAFT Attributes

The table below shows the mapping from AutoCAD attributes into DRAFT attributes. Any
AutoCAD attributes not mentioned in the table are ignored, and will not be represented in
the DRAFT database.

AutoCAD Attribute DRAFT Attribute

Linetype
DRAFT preconfigured GT
linestyles
GTSOLID NLPN 1
GTDASH NLPN 2
GTDOT NLPN 3
GTCHAIN NLPN 4
GTLDASH NLPN 5
AutoCAD standard linestyles
Centre, Dashdot NLPN 4 CHAINED
Dashed, Hidden NLPN 2 DASHED
Dashedx2, Hiddenx2 NLPN 5 LDASHED
Dot NLPN 3 DOTTED
Border NLPN 121 DDASHED (colour 1 only)
Divide NLPN 122 DDOTTED (colour 1 only)
Phantom NLPN 124 DCHAINED (colour 1 only)
others NLPN 1 SOLID
DRAFT new linestyles (loaded
as part of forms-and-menu
interface)
GTDDASH NLPN 121 (colour 1 only)
GTDDOT NLPN 122 (colour 1 only)
GTFDOT NLPN 123 (colour 1 only)
GTDCHAIN NLPN 124 (colour 1 only)
GTTCHAIN NLPN 125 (colour 1 only)

Width

0 No change to NLPN
0 Add 5 to above NLPN values (THICK line)
Line Colour
1 NLPN + 10 RED
2 NLPN + 30 YELLOW

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AutoCAD Attribute DRAFT Attribute

3 NLPN + 40 GREEN
4 NLPN + 50 CYAN
5 NLPN + 60 BLUE
6 NLPN + 70 VIOLET
7 NLPN + 0 GREY
other NLPN + 0 GREY

Text
Height CHEI
Width (for fitted text) No mapping
Angle ADEG
Font PDMS HORTXT font FONT 1
PDMS HTXnn font DRAFT Equivalent - Font nn
PDMS HTX-nn font DRAFT Equivalent extension character - Font nn
HTX63 font PDMS Symbolic character
Roman FONT 3
Italic FONT 4
other FONT 1
Vertical alignment
Top ALIG TB
Middle ALIG HB
Bottom ALIG BB
Baseline ALIG BASE
Horizontal alignment
Left, fit and aligned JUST L
Centre JUST C
Right JUST R
Oblique forwards Forward slope font variant
Oblique backwards Backward slope font variant
Generation flags Always normal

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AutoCAD Attribute DRAFT Attribute

Text Colour
1 TPEN = 11 RED
2 TPEN = 31 YELLOW
3 TPEN = 41 GREEN
4 TPEN = 51 CYAN
5 TPEN = 61 BLUE
6 TPEN = 71 VIOLET
7 TPEN = 1 GREY
other TPEN = 1 GREY

B.3 DRAFT Pens

In DRAFT, linestyle, line thickness and colour are bundled into a single value called a PEN.
Each linear 2D primitive in DRAFT has a NLPN (note line pen) attribute which refers to a
PEN number.

In order to convert from AutoCAD linestyle, line width and colour to DRAFT PEN the
NLPN values are combined as shown in the table. For example:

A solid, narrow, white line gives NLPN = 1 + 0 + 0 = 1

A dashed, narrow, green line gives NLPN = 2 + 0 + 40 = 42
A dashdot, wide, blue line gives NLPN = 4 + 5 + 60 = 69

B.4 Line Widths

There are eleven line widths in DRAFT, 0mm to 2mm. Please note that the original DRAFT
settings for linewidths (thin and thick) are still supported. These are equivalent to
linewidths of 0mm and 0.4mm.

In AutoCAD all lines, circles and arcs are thin, but polylines may have a measured width
which varies along the length of a polyline span.

The mapping from AutoCAD to DRAFT is:

- all entities with zero width are DRAFT thin lines

- all polyline spans with non-zero thickness at either end of the span are DRAFT thick
lines

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The mapping from DRAFT and ISODRAFT to AutoCAD is:

- all eleven line widths are mapped correctly

B.5 Linestyles

Linestyles are scaled differently in DRAFT and AutoCAD. The AutoCAD linetype scale is
ignored, so dash and gap lengths may not match between the two systems. However, the
linestyles listed in the table will have a similar pattern of gaps and dashes.

Pens 1 to 120 are preconfigured in DRAFT. These map on to five linestyles each in two
widths and 10 colours as described in the PDMS DRAFT User Guide. There are five new
linestyles. The DRAFT forms-and-menu interface maps these on to pens 121 to 130 - five
styles each in two widths, colour 1.

NOTE: User defined linestyles are now available in DRAFT. AutoDRAFT will export (and
maintain) these linestyles correctly in AutoCAD.

In order to export any user defined linestyles, AutoDRAFT creates a file called
pdmsuser.lin in the local directory. This file is only used by AutoDRAFT during
the current session, after which it is deleted. You should note that AutoDRAFT will
not work if a file called pdmsuser.lin already exists in the local directory.

If you are pre-loading any user defined linestyles into AutoCAD (for example, via
the acad.lsp file) which use the same names as any of your DRAFT user-defined
linestyles exported via AutoDRAFT, the pre-loaded linestyles will be used in
preference to DRAFT ones.

B.6 Text Fonts

If a non-PDMS text font is used in AutoCAD the height of the text will be the same in both
systems, but the length of the text will differ. The mapping of non-PDMS fonts on to font
numbers in DRAFT assumes that the default Font family definition is in use for the PDMS
project.

AutoCAD width factor and vertical text path are ignored. AutoCAD underlining will be
interpreted as DRAFT underlining. AutoCAD overscore codes are ignored. Positive oblique
angle is interpreted as forward shear. Negative oblique angle is interpreted as backward
shear. Non-standard text-generation flags are ignored.

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AutoCAD special symbols degree, plus/minus and diameter symbol will be converted to the
appropriate DRAFT special symbol.

AutoCAD special character numbers are ignored. AutoCAD Bigfont text cannot be
generally transferred - but see below. However special characters in the AutoCAD fonts,
that have been defined to work with PDMS, will be reinterpreted back into the equivalent
special characters in DRAFT.

Text in styles HTX-nn will be assumed to be PDMS extension font characters (e.g. Latin-1
or Latin-2) and will be sent back to PDMS as ESC-X sequences.

To simplify the transfer of files between systems which have restrictions on filename
lengths, a convention for file naming has been adopted that never produces filenames with
a prefix greater than eight characters long. The system does this by:

- The first five digits of the old font file names have been condensed to two alphanumeric
characters.

- The prefixes ’f’, ’ef’, ’of’ and ’sf’ have been shortened to their first letter.

- As DOS is case-insensitive, UPPER CASE is used for prefixes (TESTFILE etc.) with
lower case letters for the suffix (.txt for example).

The condensation method mentioned in point one above is designed to be reasonably

memorable. The initial two digits of the old file name are re-encoded as follows:

Initial code New Code Meaning

01 L Latin
02 G Greek
03 C Cyrillic
04 A Arabic
05 H Hebrew
11 X Chinese
12 J Japanese
13 K Korean
09 O Oddments (1 byte)

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The next three digits of the old file name (which represent the character set) become:

Initial Code New Code Meaning

004 B British
006 A American
100 1 ‘ right-hand’ half of Latin-1
101 2 ‘ right-hand’ half of Latin-2
109 3 ‘ right-hand’ half of Latin-3
110 4 ‘ right-hand’ half of Latin-4
148 5 ‘ right-hand’ half of Latin-5
018 G Greek
537 R Russian
521 D German (Deutsch)
998 R Russian mixture (Latin-Cyrillic)
999 P PDMS symbols
058 X Chinese basic
087 J Japanese basic
126 L ‘ right-hand’ half of Latin-Greek
144 L ‘ right-hand’ half of Latin-Cyrillic
127 L ‘ right-hand’ half of Latin-Arabic
138 L ‘ right-hand’ half of Latin-Hebrew

NOTE: The re-use of character set ‘ L’ is not important, as the fonts concerned are made
distinct by the alphabet letter.

The current range of alphabets and character-sets supported is represented as:

Old Code New Code Meaning

01004 LB Latin, British
01006 LA Latin, American
01100 L1 ‘ right-hand’ half of Latin-1
01101 L2 ‘ right-hand’ half of Latin-2
01109 L3 ‘ right-hand’ half of Latin-3
01110 L4 ‘ right-hand’ half of Latin-4
01148 L5 ‘ right-hand’ half of Latin-5
01521 LD Latin, German
02018 GG Greek
02126 GL ‘ right-hand’ half of Latin-Greek
03537 CR Cyrillic, Russian
03144 CL ‘ right-hand’ half of Latin-Cyrillic
04127 AL ‘ right-hand’ half of Latin-Arabic
05138 HL ‘ right-hand’ half of Latin-Hebrew
09998 OR Latin-Cyrillic (obsolete)
11058 XX Chinese (basic set)
12087 JJ Japanese (basic set)

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The prefix of one to three initial letters becomes a single letter, as described above:

Letter Meaning
F Filled Font }
O Outline Font } 1-byte fonts
U Uniform Width Font }

E EUC Encoding } 2-byte fonts

S Shift-JIS Encoding }

B.7 Support for AutoCAD Bigfont Text (PDMS/J users only)

Kanji text in EUC-format PDMS fonts may be transferred back to PDMS DRAFT using the
Frame and Symbol Editors. This is sent back to PDMS as byte pairs in &~. . . . . . &
sequences. Transfer of text in SHIFT-JIS PDMS fonts is not supported, nor is FECs text in
non-PDMS fonts.

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C The AutoDRAFT Menus

The AutoCAD Reference Manual describes command input to AutoCAD from the command
line and from standard screen menus.

The functions described in this document are defined as commands entered via the
keyboard at the AutoCAD Command: prompt.

AutoDRAFT customises the standard AutoCAD menus by the addition of the AutoDRAFT
options.

Note that the appropriate Autodesk, Inc. copyright notices apply to the AutoDRAFT menu
files which are derived from an original AutoCAD menu file. For example, for AutoCAD
Release 13, the following notice applies:

Copyright . 1982-1995 Autodesk, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Release 13_c3a (9/22/95) Silicon Graphics

C.1 Drawing Editor Pull-Down Menus

... Blank PDMS Draw

C.1.1 Blank Pull-Down Menu

Visible Make blank boundaries visible (pdms_blank_edit Visible)

Invisible Make blank boundaries invisible (pdms_blank_edit Invisible)

Blank Hide covered items (pdms_blank)

Create Create a new blank (pdms_blank_create)

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Erase Erase blanks (pdms_blank_edit Erase)

Cover Choose items to be covered by blanks (pdms_blank_edit Cover)

Uncover Choose items to be uncovered so they are not hidden by blanks

(pdms_blank_edit Uncover)

C.1.2 PDMS Draw Pull-Down Menu

The PDMS Draw menu contains all of the AutoDRAFT Drawing Editor functions except for
blanking.

PDMS Layers > Display Layers submenu (pdms_layers PDMS command)

User Layers > Display Layers submenu (pdms_layers USER command)

PDMS Colours Sets PDMS layers to PDMS colours (pdms_colour)

Load Text Load text from a text file onto the drawing (pdms_textfile)

Copy Magnify Copy and scale part of the drawing (pdms_copy)

Select Viewport Select viewport by picking viewport boundary (pdms_view_sel)

Create Viewport Create viewport containing a magnified view of a region of the

drawing sheet (pdms_view_create)

PDMS EndAcad Ends an AutoCAD session, saving the current drawing and
automatically exiting from the main menu screen.

PDMS QuitAcad Quits an AutoCAD session without saving the current drawing, also
automatically exiting from the main menu screen.

Layers Submenu

The layers submenu is used to control both the PDMS layers and the non-PDMS layers
through the pdms_layers command

On Switch layers on

Off Switch layers off

Freeze Freeze layers

Thaw Thaw layers

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C.2 Frame Editor Pull-Down Menu

... PDMS Frame

C.2.1 PDMS Frame Pull-Down Menu

Write sheet Write PDMS Backing or Overlay sheet command file (pdms_sheet)

PDMS EndAcad Ends an AutoCAD session, saving the current drawing and
automatically exiting from the main menu screen.

PDMS QuitAcad Quits an AutoCAD session without saving the current drawing, also
automatically exiting from the main menu screen.

C.3 Symbol Editor Pull-Down Menu

... PDMS Symbol

C.3.1 PDMS Symbol Pull-Down Menu

Make symbol Make symbol template block & insert (pdms_make_symbol)

Write symbol Write PDMS symbol template command file (pdms_symbols)

PDMS EndAcad Ends an AutoCAD session, saving the current drawing and
automatically exiting from the main menu screen.

PDMS QuitAcad Quits an AutoCAD session without saving the current drawing, also
automatically exiting from the main menu screen.

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A
adraftbe script, 12-1, 12-2
adraftde script, 4-2
adraftse script, 8-1, 8-2
attdef command (AutoCAD), 7-1, 9-1

B
Backing Sheet (BACK) element, 11-1
Backing Sheet element (BACK), 7-2
Backing Sheet Reference (BSRF) attribute, 7-2
block command (AutoCAD), 9-2
Blocks (AutoCAD), 9-1
Blocks, use of, 6-6
BYLAYER attribute, 6-4

C
CSPA (character spacing) attribute, 4-4
CUTMARKS OFF option, 4-1

D
Differential scale, use of in AutoCAD, 9-2
Drawing Editor, drawing file, 3-1
Drawing Editor drawings
creating, 4-2
displaying, 4-3
updating, 4-3

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Drawing limits, in AutoCAD, 7-2

DXF files
creating from DRAFT, 4-1
creating from ISODRAFT, 4-2
transfer of, 3-1
use of, 2-1

E
Entities, mapping to PDMS elements, 7-2, 11-2
Entities blanking, entity selection, 5-4

F
Font files, transfer, B-6
Frame Editor drawings
creating, 12-1
updating, 12-2

G
GT_Layers, 3-3, 6-4, 6-8

I
insert command (AutoCAD), 9-2
Inserts (AutoCAD), 9-1

L
Layers
AutoCAD, 3-2, 3-3, 7-2
GT_, 3-3, 6-4, 6-8
mapping, 6-1
PDMS, 3-2
PDMS_BLANKS, 5-1, 5-6
limits command, 8-2

M
Mappings, AutoCAD to DRAFT, 10-2, 13-2
Model Space, setting up an imported drawing in, 4-2

N
NOTE element, 11-1, 13-2
Note line pen (NLPN) attribute, B-4

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O
Overlay Sheet (OVER) element, 11-1
Overscore codes, treatment of, B-5

P
Paper Space, setting up an imported drawing in, 4-2
pdms_blank command, 5-5
pdms_blank_create command, 5-2
pdms_blank_edit command, 5-6
PDMS_BLANKS layer, 5-1, 5-6
pdms_colour command, 6-4
pdms_copy command, 6-6
pdms_endacad command, 6-11, 10-3, 13-3
pdms_layer_mapping command, 6-2
pdms_layers command, 6-3
PDMS_NAME attribute, 7-1, 9-1
pdms_quitacad command, 6-10, 10-2, 13-3
pdms_sheet command, 13-1, 13-2
pdms_symbols command, 10-1, 10-2
pdms_textfile command, 6-5
pdms_view_create command, 6-9
pdms_view_sel command, 6-10
pdmslaymap.txt file, 6-1
PLOT command, 4-1, 4-4
Plotting a blanked drawing, 5-5

S
Sheet Library (SHLB) element, 11-1
Sheet size, specifying, 12-2
Symbol Editor drawings
creating, 8-1
updating, 8-2
Symbol Library (SYLB) Element, 7-1, 7-2
Symbol Template, Naming Conventions, 10-3
Symbol Template (SYTM) Element, 7-1

T
Text height, 6-5
Text line spacing, 6-6

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